Patterning mechanism for circular knitting machines

ABSTRACT

A patterning mechanism for a circular knitting machine having a stack or series of rotary discs, or other peripheral formations. These peripheral formations are present or absent according to a predetermined pattern and are co-operable with a single patterning butt on each of a series of presser elements which each have a series of height selection butts. These height selection butts cause the presser elements to raise and lower so that the patterning butts of the presser elements are co-operable with selected discs or rows of the stack or series characterized by at least one height selection station for the presser members. Each height selection station includes at least a butt rising cam and a butt lowering cam each mounted on a separate operating element for movement in or out of the path of height selection butts on the presser members. Latch means or spring loaded pivotally mounted latching member is provided for latching the operating element in the operative position with its cam in the path of the height selection butts until positive release of the latch means. The latching member has a shoulder which engages a selected bell crank, which bell crank actuates a selected operating element, when the selected bell crank is in a forward position to maintain the selected operating element in the operative position. When the latching member is released, a second selected bell crank becomes operative and forces the latch out of engagement with the first selected bell crank, thus allowing the first selected bell crank to retract from the selected operating element which in turn allows the opeating element to retract from the operative position.

ilnite States atent [19] Farmer et a1.

[ Nov. 13, 1973 PATTERNING MECHANISM FOR CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINES [75] inventors: Ernest Leonard Farmer; Dennis William Whitmore, both of Leicester, England [73] Assignee: Wildt Mellor Bromley Limited,

Aylestone, Leicester, England [22] Filed: Mar. 12, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 123,591

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Mar. 24, 1970 Great Britain 14,245/70 [52] US. Cl 66/50 R, 66/50 B [51] Int. Cl D04b 15/74 [58] Field of Search 66/50 R, 50 8,25, 66/42, 36 A, 36 B, 57

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,641,786 2/1972 Burdett et a1, 66/50 B 3,653,229 4/1972 Gottsching..... 66/50 R 1,972,044 8/1934 Howie 66/50 R 2,269,398 1/l942 Preston 66/50 R 3,234,760 2/1966 Azzolari.. 66/57 3,252,305 5/1966 Noll 66/57 UX 3,299,673 l/l967 Noll 66/57 3,315,494 4/1967 Farmer 66/50 R 3,512,376 5/1970 Ecob et al 66/25 X Primary Examiner-Wm. Carter Reynolds Attorney-Irving Weiner [57] ABSTRACT A patterning mechanism for a circular knitting machine having a stack or series of rotary discs, or other peripheral formations. These peripheral formations are present or absent according to a predetermined pattern and are co-operable with a single patterning butt on each of a series of presser elements which each have a series of height selection butts. These height selection butts cause the presser elements to raise and lower so that the patterning butts of the presser elements are co-operable with selected discs or rows of the stack or series characterized by at least one height selection station for the presser members. Each height selection station includes at least a butt rising cam and a butt lowering cam each mounted on a separate operating element for movement in or out of the path of height selection butts on the presser members. Latch means or spring loaded pivotally mounted latching member is provided for latching the operating element in the operative position with its cam in the path of the height selection butts until positive release of the latch means. The latching member has a shoulder which engages a selected bell crank, which bell crank actuates a selected operating element, when the selected bell crank is in a forward position to maintain the selected operating element in the operative position. When the latching member is released, a second selected bell crank becomes operative and forces the latch out of engagement with the first selected bell crank, thus allowing the first selected bell crank'to retract from the selected operating element which in turn allows the opeating element to retract from the operative position.

I: i /l L ENTORS ERN NARD BY FARMER c ATTORNEY PATENTEDNUV 13 i975 SHEET 2 BF 3 Ar. TL l E. l in 7 ifi INVENTOR: ERNEST LEONARD BY FARMER ztol ATTORNEY PATENTEUHUY13 I975 3,771, 326

INVENTORZ' ERNEST LEONARD BY FARMER ctal ATTORNEY PATTERNING MECHANISM FOR CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINES This invention relates to patterning mechanisms for circular knitting machines, and has particular reference to patterning mechanisms of the type comprfing a stack or series of rotary discs, or other rows of peripheral formations, having peripheral formations present or absent according to a predetermined pattern and cooperable with a single patterning butt on each of a series of presser elements associated with needles to be controlled, the presser elements each having a series of height selection butts by means of which the presser elements are raisable and lowerable so thatthe patterning butts of the presser elements are co-operable with selected discs or rows of the said stack or series.

The raising and lowering of the presser elements is generally achieved in this type of machine, see for example our United Kingdom Pat. specification No. 1029373 or U.S. Pat. No. 3,315,494 issued Apr. 25, I967 to E. L. Farmer, by movement cams mounted on slides at a height selection station for selective movement to an operative position in the path of the butts and conjoint retraction of the other cam. Means may also be provided to allow the presser elements to go through a height selection station without change of height. This may take the form of a guide mounted on a further slide which is interlocked with the cam carrying slides to ensure that one and only one of the slides is in the operative position at any one time.

Some difficulty has been encountered with this type of machine in that vibrations and continual contact with butts may cause a gradual retraction of one or the other of the slides, leading to unreliability in operation and also the possibility damage to the machine caused by presser elements falling clear of the guide track.

The present invention consists in a patterning mechanism for a circular knitting machine of the type described, comprising at least one height selection station for the presser elements, each height selectiori station including at least a butt raising cam and a butt lowering cam each mounted on a separate operating element for movement in or out of the path of height selection butts on the presser elements, and in which latch means are provided for latching the op'e ating element in operative position with its cam in the path of the height selection butts until positive release of the latch means The height selectioii station may include a guide mounted on a further operating element also latchable in operative position and the latch means may be arranged to be released by actuating means for the operating elements so as to release an operating element upon actuation of a different operating element.

Preferably, a single latch element co-operates with all of the operating elements at a height selection station.

FIG. 1 is a sectional view, taken at a selection station, of a knitting machine which is generally of the type described in out United Kingdom specification No. 1029373 or U.S. Pat. No. 3,315,494 issued Apr. 25, 1967 to E. L. Farmer. Only those parts of the machine as are necessary for the understanding of the selection operation are shown, and it will be appreciated that the drawing is to a certain extent diagrammatic.

A rotary needle cylinder 1 has in the outer surface thereof a plurality of needle tricks 2, each of which carries a latch type needle 3. Each needle is supported on a needle operating jack 5 operating in the needle trick 2. Each jack has a downwardly extending springy extension 5a terminating in a butt 6 which is adapted to co-operate with a cam, shown at 7, to lift the jack 5 and needle 3 for a knitting operation. The springy nature of the extension 5a is such that the butt 6 is normally urged out of the needle trick 2 so that its path is over the cam 7, but a presser or presser element 8 is associated with needle 3 and jack 5 whereby the jack may be depressed into its trick so that the butt 6 passes behind the cam 7 and the needle does not therefore rise to knitting position.

Each presser 8 in the fine gauge knitting machine illustrated is provided with a selection butt or butt portion 9 or 9, for co-operation with peripheral formations 10a formed on discs 10 mounted in pairs in a stack at the selecting station. The upper disc of each pair is arranged at such a level as to have its peripheral formations co-operating with the butts 9on alternate pressers 8, while the lower disc co-operates with the butts 9 on the intervening pressers 8. The peripheral formations 10a, or the locations for them where they are omitted, on the discs 10 of a pair are staggered in relation to each other so that one disc of each pair operates on alternate needles, while the other disc operates on the intervening needles. Such an arrangement is necessary where the needles are of fairly close pitch, but where the needles are coarsely pitched, then the discs may each be made to operate on each presser a e erq sths tyYQ.. Y .9fhut hqzom s unne essary, and they may be replaced by butts at a single level. It will also be understood that in the case of exceptionally fine pitching, it may be desirable to have the discs in groups of three or even more.

The stack of discs 10 is mounted on a shaft 11 with spacers 12 between them, and the shaft 11 is driven in synchronism with the needle cylinder, by means of a gear 13 mounted on the cylinder meshing with a gear 14 mounted on the shaft 11. v a

The butts 9 and 9' co-operate with selected pairsof 'the discs 10 depending on the level of the pressers 8, and this level is controlled by a series of height selection butts 15 provided on the pressers and co-operating with a track 16 which maintains them at selected height. The actual level is determined at one or more level changing stations situated around the periphery of the needle cylinder 1, whereat the butts 15 are acted on by cams to raise or lower the level of the presser 8, and hence of the butts 9 and 9 co-operating withthe discs 10.

Where the disc 10 has a peripheral formation 10a which bears on the butt portion 9 or 9, then the presser 8 and jack 5 are depressed into the trick and the butt 6 misses the cam 7 and passes behind it, thereby causing the needle to miss rather than knit. If the appropriate part of the disc 10 is not provided with a peripheral formation, then the butt 9 or 9' is not engaged and the presser and jack are not pressed into the trick, so that the butt 6 rides up the cam 7, and the jack lifts the needle into the knitting position.

The actual mechanism for raising and lowering the pressers 8 is as described in our copending US. Pat. application Ser. No. 123,592 filed on Mar. 12, 1971 and entitled Improvements in or relating to Patterning Mechanisms for Circular Knitting Machines," and reference may be had to that application for a more complete description.

For the purposes of the present invention and with reference to FIG. 2, it is sufficient to state that this.

mechanism includes a cam 17 for raising the pressers, a cam 18 for lowering the pressers, and a guide 19 which may be inserted into the path of the butts through the height selection station so as to maintain them at a constant height therethrough and prevent their falling out of the track 16, with the consequent risk of damage to the mechanism and introduction of continuing pattern faults into the material being knitted. Each of the cams has an individual operating element, such that the cam 17 is mounted on a slide 20, the cam 18 on a slide 21 and the guide 19 is, also, mounted on its own operating element, on a slide 22. Each of these slides carries an adjusting screw having a head 20a, 21a, 22a respectively, and the slides 20 and 21 are linked for conjoint motion by pins 20b and 21b which co-operate with a disc 23 mounted for rotation in a housing 24 for the slides. This provides an interlock between the motion of the slides 20 and 21, and each of these slides also has a shoulder 25 or 26 co-operating with a pin 27 mounted on the slide 22. It will be seen that as either of the slides 20, 21 is pushed forward, the other of these two slides is retracted by rotation of the disc 23, and this also has the effect of retracting the slide 22 should this be forward at this stage. The guide 19 extends further forward from the slide 22 than the cam 17 or 18 from their respective slides when the pin 27 is engaged with the shoulder 25 or 26. Thus, when the slide 22 is pushed forward by means of its head 22a, the retracted one of the slides 20 and 21 is also carried forward, but has not reached operative position by the time the slide 22 reaches its operative position. The other slide 20 or 21 is conjointly retracted by the partial forward motion of the slide 21 or 20.

Selection of which slide is to be operative at any one time takes place during periodic breaks in the continuity of needles passing the height selection station, provided by gaps in the arrangement of needles. This selection is under the control of a selection mechanism substantially as described in the United Kingdom Pat. No. 1029373 or US. Pat. No. 3,315,494 issued Apr. 25, 1967 to E. L. Farmer. This selection mechanism is shown generally at 30, and need not be described in great detail for the purposes of the present invention. It differs from that described in the earlier patent not only in that there are three slides to be selected from, and consequently there are three actuating elements or operating bell cranks, which are illustrated in F IG. 3 at 20c, 21c and 220. Each of these bell cranks has a flange 31 which presents a forward face for co-o peraduring the advance of the bell cranks with an inclined I surface 33 of a common latch means, such as a latch or 4 latch member 34 for all three of the flanges 31. The latch member is pivoted at 35 on the housing 24 and is loaded by a spring 36 to turn in a counterclockwise direction as illustrated in FIG. 2. The latch member 34 also provides a shoulder 37 which engages with the upper parts of the flanges 31 when these are in their forwardmost positions to hold the bell cranks in their forward positions and thereby maintain the selected cam 17 or 18 or guide 19 in operative position until release of the latch. The bell cranks are loaded away from the latch by springs 38.

In operation of the selection mechanism, one of the bell cranks is moved forward by rocking clockwise about a common pivot 39 against the action of spring 38. The upper surface 32 of the flange 31 then engages the surface 33 to lift the latch against the action of the spring 36 and release any bell crank which may be held in a forward position by the latch. Continued forward movement of the bell crank selected causes the forward face of the flange 31 to engage the appropriate head 20a, 21a or 22a, and move the associated slide with its cam or guide into operative position, and at the same time retract any cam or guide which may have been in the operative position up to that time. Upon completion of the movement into operative position, the latch, loaded by its spring 36 will movecounterclockwise so that the shoulder 37 then co-operates with the upper part of the flange 31 to prevent retraction of the bell crank and thereby positively maintain the associated cam 17 or 18 or the guide 19 in forward position until a fresh selection is made, whereupon the cycle described above is repeated.

The bell crank released by the latch returns under the action of its spring 38 until it reaches a retracted position where it is held by a stop 40.

Various modifications may be made within the scope ofthe invention.

.l sm ma 1. In a pattern mechanism for a circular knitting machine with a rotary needle cylinder, the pattern mechanism comprising a rotary pattern elementhaving a series or rows of peripheral formations which are present or absent at given positions according to apredetermined pattern, the formations being cooperable with a single patterning butt on each ofa series of presser elements associated with needles to be controlled, the presser elements each having a series of height selection butts by means of which the presser elements are raisable and lowerable at at least one height selection station so that the patterning butts of the presser elements are cooperable with selected rows of said series of rows of peripheral formations: the improvement that each height selection station includes a butt raising cam, a butt lowering cam, or an operating element for the butt raising cam, an operating element for the butt lowering cam, the cams being mounted on the respective operating elements for movement into or out of the path of the height selection butts on the presser elements, latch means for latching each operating element in operative position with its cam in the path of the height selection butts, and individual actuating elements for the operating elements, the individual actuating elements being selectively driven toward respective operating elements by the pattern element, said actuating elements including means for releasing said latch means such that when one of the actuating elements is driven toward its respective operating element, the latched operating element is released.

2. A patterning mechanism for a circular knitting machine with a rotary needle cylinder, the pattern mechanism comprising a rotary pattern element having a series of rows of peripheral formations which are present or absent at given positions according to a predetermined pattern, the formations being cooperable with a single patterning butt on each of a series of presser elements associated with needles to be controlled, the presser elements each having a series of height selection butts by means of which the presser elements are raisable and lowerable at at least one height selection station so that the patterning butts of the presser elements are cooperable with selected rows of said series of rows of peripheral formations: the improvement that each height selection station includes a butt-raising cam, a butt-lowering cam, an operating element for the butt-raising cam, and an operating element for the buttlowering cam, the cams being mounted on the respective operating elements for movement into or out of the path of the height selection butts of the presser elements, latch means for latching each operating element in operative position with its cam in the path of the height selection butts, and individual actuating elements for the operating elements, the individual actuating elements being selectively driven toward respective operating elements by the pattern element, said actuating elements including means for releasing said latch means such that when one of the actuating elements is driven toward its respective opeating element the latched operating element is released, and a further operating element and a guide mounted on said further operating element for movement into and out of the path of the height selection butts and adapted to guide the height selection butts to the height selection station at the same height.

3. A patterning mechanism as claimed in claim 1, wherein the latch means comprises a single latch element cooperating with all the operating elements at the height selection station.

4. A patterning mechanism as claimed in claim 3, in which each actuating element has an actuating face for engagement with the operating element and a latching surface for engagement with the latch means whereby the actuating element is latched in operative position to hold the operating element in operative position.

5. A patterning mechanism as claimed in claim 4, in which the latch element has a shoulder to hold the latching surfaces of the actuating elements and a cam surface by which the latch element is lifted by an actuating element during its actuating stroke to release the latch element from any latched actuating element before engagement of the actuating element on the stroke with the corresponding operating element.

6. A pattern mechanism as claimed in claim 2, wherein the latch means comprises a single latch element cooperating with all the operating elements at the height selection station.

7. A pattern mechanism as claimed in claim 6, in which each actuating element has an actuating face for engagement with the operating element and a latching face for engagement with the latch element whereby the actuating element is latched in operative position to hold the operating element in operative position.

8. A pattern mechanism as claimed in claim 7, in which the latch element has a shoulder to hold the latching surfaces of the actuating elements and a cam surface by which the latch element is lifted by an actuating element during its actuating stroke to release the latch element from any latched actuating element before engagement of the actuating element on the stroke with the corresponding operating element. 

1. In a pattern mechanism for a circular knitting machine with a rotary needle cylinder, the pattern mechanism comprising a rotary pattern element having a series or rows of peripheral formations which are present or absent at given positions according to a predetermined pattern, the formations being cooperable with a single patterning butt on each of a series of presser elements associated with needles to be controlled, the presser elements each having a series of height selection butts by means of which the presser elements are raisable and lowerable at at least one height selection station so that the patterning butts of the presser elements are cooperable with selected rows of said series of rows of peripheral formations: the improvement that each height selection station includes a butt raising cam, a butt lowering cam, or an operating element for the butt raising cam, an operating element for the butt lowering cam, the cams being mounted on the respective operating elements for movement into or out of the path of the height selection butts on the presser elements, lAtch means for latching each operating element in operative position with its cam in the path of the height selection butts, and individual actuating elements for the operating elements, the individual actuating elements being selectively driven toward respective operating elements by the pattern element, said actuating elements including means for releasing said latch means such that when one of the actuating elements is driven toward its respective operating element, the latched operating element is released.
 2. A patterning mechanism for a circular knitting machine with a rotary needle cylinder, the pattern mechanism comprising a rotary pattern element having a series of rows of peripheral formations which are present or absent at given positions according to a predetermined pattern, the formations being cooperable with a single patterning butt on each of a series of presser elements associated with needles to be controlled, the presser elements each having a series of height selection butts by means of which the presser elements are raisable and lowerable at at least one height selection station so that the patterning butts of the presser elements are cooperable with selected rows of said series of rows of peripheral formations: the improvement that each height selection station includes a butt-raising cam, a butt-lowering cam, an operating element for the butt-raising cam, and an operating element for the butt-lowering cam, the cams being mounted on the respective operating elements for movement into or out of the path of the height selection butts of the presser elements, latch means for latching each operating element in operative position with its cam in the path of the height selection butts, and individual actuating elements for the operating elements, the individual actuating elements being selectively driven toward respective operating elements by the pattern element, said actuating elements including means for releasing said latch means such that when one of the actuating elements is driven toward its respective opeating element the latched operating element is released, and a further operating element and a guide mounted on said further operating element for movement into and out of the path of the height selection butts and adapted to guide the height selection butts to the height selection station at the same height.
 3. A patterning mechanism as claimed in claim 1, wherein the latch means comprises a single latch element cooperating with all the operating elements at the height selection station.
 4. A patterning mechanism as claimed in claim 3, in which each actuating element has an actuating face for engagement with the operating element and a latching surface for engagement with the latch means whereby the actuating element is latched in operative position to hold the operating element in operative position.
 5. A patterning mechanism as claimed in claim 4, in which the latch element has a shoulder to hold the latching surfaces of the actuating elements and a cam surface by which the latch element is lifted by an actuating element during its actuating stroke to release the latch element from any latched actuating element before engagement of the actuating element on the stroke with the corresponding operating element.
 6. A pattern mechanism as claimed in claim 2, wherein the latch means comprises a single latch element cooperating with all the operating elements at the height selection station.
 7. A pattern mechanism as claimed in claim 6, in which each actuating element has an actuating face for engagement with the operating element and a latching face for engagement with the latch element whereby the actuating element is latched in operative position to hold the operating element in operative position.
 8. A pattern mechanism as claimed in claim 7, in which the latch element has a shoulder to hold the latching surfaces of the actuating elements and a cam surface by which the latch element is lifted by an actuating element during Its actuating stroke to release the latch element from any latched actuating element before engagement of the actuating element on the stroke with the corresponding operating element. 